Which outline to use
The tiered tree is the one that reads as a Christmas tree at small sizes, which is why it is the default for tags and cards. The simple triangle is cleaner and better at large sizes and on bunting. The cone is for wrapping into a three dimensional shape or for a tree you will decorate with stuck-on paper.
Tier count on the tiered tree changes the character more than height does. Three tiers looks like a graphic. Five looks like a tree.
The slot-together tree
Two tree shapes, each with a slot, one cut from the top down and one from the bottom up. Slide them together and you have a tree that stands on four points. Printed at 200mm on 250gsm card it is stable enough to sit on a table with a few decorations hung on it.
There is a version with punch marks along the edges for threading string or hanging small tags, which makes it a usable advent or message tree.
Tiling and class sets
A 500mm tree across four A4 sheets makes a door or window piece that a group can decorate together. Tape the sheets before cutting and cut through all layers at once at the joins.
For a class set of small trees, print at 60mm with twelve to a page. On 160gsm card each child gets a tree to decorate and the whole class costs three sheets.
Questions
- Which tree template works best at small sizes?
- The tiered one with five layers. It still reads as a Christmas tree at 40mm, where a simple triangle just reads as a triangle.
- Is there a tree that stands up?
- Yes. Two shapes slot together, one cut from the top and one from the bottom, giving a tree that stands on four points. At 200mm on 250gsm card it is stable enough to decorate.
- How large can I print a tree?
- Up to 300mm on one sheet, and larger with tiling. Four A4 sheets give a tree around 500mm, which works as a door or window piece.
- How do I print a class set of small trees?
- Set the height to about 60mm and use the twelve per page layout. On 160gsm card a class of thirty costs three sheets.